As Europe’s leading aviation and VAT specialist, Martyn Fiddler Associates Limited (MFAL) is well known throughout the aviation industry for the quality of its advice and service. MFAL can arrange aircraft importation into the EU while achieving free circulation for owners and operators. A successful import will allow aircraft to be operated with maximum flexibility while mitigating the VAT and du
ty liability. MFAL offers APD representation services. From 1 April 2013 business and private flights that depart the UK are subject to Air Passenger Duty (APD), a tax that has been in effect for scheduled airlines since 1994. AIRCRAFT OWNERSHIP
Bespoke structured solutions
Legal, management and corporate governance
Accountancy and VAT expertise
Solution planning
Ownership options
Aircraft registration and regulation
Consideration regarding choice of aircraft registry
Company, LLC, LP, Trust provision
Documentation review
SPV management
Directorship and officer services
Martyn Fiddler Aviation works with our clients to provide bespoke solutions for aircraft which can limit liability, help mitigate VAT on acquisition or importation, and aid tax efficient operation. We work with each of our clients and their advisors to ensure every solution complies with applicable VAT rules in respect of the aircraft and the client's business needs. We provide full management for each client structure including registered office, registered agent and company director services. We are committed to ensuring every solution receives good corporate governance and meets all relevant legislation. Our in-house legal counsel and compliance team have significant aviation experience and work with our clients to ensure the highest standards are met. We have a specialist team of administrators who focus only on aircraft owning and leasing businesses. Together they have over 25 years combined experience and are committed to ensuring each business solution complies with corporate, aviation and tax legislation (including VAT). Our administrators are supported by a dedicated accountancy team who provide bookkeeping, financial reporting and VAT return submissions for our clients, and who liaise with the client's existing accountants and auditors. Our ownership team has worked solely on aviation transactions since 2006 and has built up a wealth of experience to assist our clients and their advisors. During this time the team have also established strong relationships with leading financiers, legal firms, operators, manufacturers and aircraft registries internationally; this allows them to efficiently navigate transactional issues and assist clients with introductions where additional advice is required. Our team often work with external import and taxation advisors which the client may wish to appoint separately if they do not want to take advantage of our specialised in-house services in taxation and EU import & export. TAXATION
Our specialist in-house tax advisors provide our clients with independent, indemnified VAT and tax advice. In Brief our services include:
formal tax opinions which offer practical advice on implementation as well as the comfort needed to underpin any planned importation. tax opinions for VAT in the EU as well as some other non-EU jurisdictions where VAT/GST or sales tax is applied
advice on customs duty issues including the practicalities of importation and mitigation of customs duty
cash-flow efficiency through careful and timely advice
contract and ownership review service to ensure our clients are fully compliant with EU VAT and customs laws
detailed reviews of any existing ownership arrangements and the EU tax status of any target aircraft
Why do you need tax advice? Benjamin Franklin said that "nothing is certain in life except death and taxes". Sadly we can't offer any ways to avoid the former, but we can help you navigate your way through the complex world of EU Value Added Tax (VAT) and customs duties. The EU comprises 28 Member States with three distinct territories for fiscal (VAT), excise and customs controls. Aircraft that fly into, out of, or between EU Member States are subject to the interrelating cross border obligations of import VAT, import procedures, customs duties and export regimes. Equally, aircraft that operate within the EU, or that are bought and sold within the EU, are liable to a mixture of domestic VAT regimes. Although the EU VAT and customs duty requirements are derived from centralised EU regulations and directives, in practice the interpretation and implementation of these can vary significantly between Member States, so understanding the relevant legislation and its practical implications can be a complex process. Failure to comply can be an expensive business when dealing with high value assets such as aircraft. So whether your aircraft is for private use, hire, charter or corporate business use, achieving a tax efficient solution requires that ownership, registration, paperwork, aircraft history and usage are EU compliant. Starting with tax planning, Martyn Fiddler Aviation can provide a timely, practical and joined up approach to assist you. We have a wealth of experience in dealing with revenue and customs officials in the EU and are practised in finding practical and realistic business friendly solutions for customs and VAT issues – whether your aircraft is arriving into the EU for the first time or you are looking to transact aircraft business within the EU. And while our expert team's many years' experience allows us to advise on the optimum ownership and import regimes for any planned purchase and operation of a target aircraft in the EU, we can also offer a review service for existing ownership arrangements and aircraft to understand whether there is any call for change – confirmation that everything is in order may actually mitigate one of Benjamin Franklin's certainties... at least for the present! EU IMPORT & EXPORT
Permanent importation solutions
Temporary admission
Export
Customs warehousing
Onward supply
UK Air Passenger Duty Representation
Importing / exporting services
Martyn Fiddler Aviation is renowned worldwide for its services relating to the EU importation, exportation and temporary admission of clients aircraft. The tax rules which governed the importation process through the UK and Isle of Man changed on 1 January 2011; up to this point aircraft could be imported in the UK or Isle of Man at a zero-rate of VAT based on the weight of the aircraft – since this date, VAT can only be zero-rated based on the use of the aircraft. In response to the UK VAT changes Martyn Fiddler Aviation has developed a range of new processes and solutions to assist clients in obtaining VAT paid, free circulation status for their aircraft. More recent changes to the Union Customs Code (May 2016), and the interpretation of same by the UK has created several issues and delays in obtaining authorisations prior to importing for UK operators. Martyn Fiddler Aviation is able to offer a simple, quick solution for these clients that does not require the operator to lodge security for import duties, and thereby ensuring that our clients can continue to do what they do best, without delay. We can work in conjunction with our aviation administration colleagues in the Isle of Man or independently as our services are wide and varied. Our specialist team has a combined hands-on experience in the aviation industry of over 45 years and is committed to continued excellent customer service for each client. We have processed several thousand aircraft clearances since the business was incorporated in 1981. Our reputation and industry knowledge mean that Martyn Fiddler Aviation is often engaged by both the selling and purchasing party in a transaction to correctly handle the various customs requirements of an individual aircraft. With offices in the Netherlands, Isle of Man and UK, plus business partners elsewhere in the EU and rest of the world, Martyn Fiddler Aviation has a wide range of importation and customs solutions to meet the demands of most clients. Customs warehousing
As well as processing the import and export of client aircraft, Martyn Fiddler Aviation also work with aircraft brokers and clients to offer a customs solution when selling aircraft. With several customs warehouse sites at major business aircraft locations in the UK and Isle of Man clients can store their aircraft, offer them for sale, and sell them all without the worry of VAT and customs duties, when declared to Martyn Fiddler Aviation's customs warehouse approval. UK Air Passenger Duty representation
Martyn Fiddler Aviation is a registered representative for UK APD and works with several operators to process this tax with UK HMRC on a monthly basis. We can act as a fiscal, administration or occasional representative, depending on the needs of each individual client.
